A Virginia judge’s decision to seal court documents involving a manhunt added additional urgency to the search for a missing Virginia high school coach who is wanted on 10 felony charges

A judge has made a procedural move in the case of a missing Virginia high school football coach now at the center of a nationwide search. Authorities continue their search for a man wanted on child-exploitation charges.

The decision was to keep key court records sealed while law enforcement efforts to locate the coach remain active nearly a month after his disappearance. Union High School (Wise County, Virginia) football coach Travis Turner disappeared on Nov. 20, the same day that investigators were organizing to ask him about his felony allegations.

Authorities stated that the high school football coach fled without his wallet, automobile or prescribed pills, leading to concern and suspicion. Formal charges were announced four days later, after criminologists revealed their analysis of the case.

The 46-year-old coach is wanted on 10 felony counts, including five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of using a computer to solicit a minor. Despite the seriousness of the allegations, records related to the charges remain closed.

The Commonwealth’s Attorney for Wise County and the City of Norton stated that the documents remain sealed due to the ongoing investigation and Turner’s continued absence from the area.

The Freedom of Information Act, which gives U.S citizens access to federal records, has exemptions for certain criminal cases and investigations.

The search has expanded beyond Wise County, with local, state, and federal agencies involved. If he is not found by Dec. 20, he will have been missing for a month.

Along with the U.S. Marshals Service, the Virginia State Police continue to solicit tips from the public, emphasizing that the case remains open and active.

“There are no updates at this time,” Virginia State Police Public Relations Coordinator Matthew Demlein said Friday. “Unfortunately, Travis Turner is still missing. We continue to ask for the public’s help in providing any information that may lead to his whereabouts.”

In response, authorities have exercised caution and warned the public that Turner could be armed and dangerous after reports suggested he walked into the woods with a firearm. U.S. Marshals Service has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

Turner’s name and photograph have been removed from Union High School’s district website, and his head coaching profile was removed from the team’s MaxPreps profile. The Union Bears’ last game was a 21-20 loss to Glenvar in a Virginia High School Football Playoffs matchup on Dec. 6.

Turner’s family urged him, via attorney Adrian Collins, to return home, not for protection, but to face the allegations head-on. “If Travis has the ability and can respond to his family’s wishes, your wife and children are in distress,” Collins said in a statement.

“Leslie pleads for you to come home and face the allegations by defending yourself in a court of law. Don’t leave your family to fight this battle without you.”